Qs & As with Elle Fanning about her role in WE BOUGHT A ZOO

The younger sister of Dakota Fanning shows that being a star runs in their blood. Here, she answers questions about her character in the heartwarming family movie We Bought a Zoo. 

Press Release:

Elle Fanning gives a spirited performance in the true-life story based on the memoir of Benjamin Mee, “We Bought A Zoo” with Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Colin Ford and Maggie Elizabeth Jones.

Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) is a widower when he moves in with the two children. The plot essentially follows the path of a courageous family and tells the story of the incredible risk they take that transforms their lives. While Matt Damon’s Benjamin Mee forms a close friendship with the rest of the zoo-keeping personnel, a strong bond also develops between Lily (Fanning), a home schooled country girl and Dylan Mee (Colin Ford), a city boy adjusting to country life.

Q: What kind of girl is Lily?

A: “She is actually a lot like me; she will be the first one to say ‘hi.’ Like me, Lily’s very sensitive. I’m not super tough. I’ll just sort of go for it. I love to laugh and be happy. I guess I’m not shy at all. Lily is definitely one of the most comedic characters that I’ve ever played. She is very quirky and funny.”

Q: Can you discuss the relationship between Lily and Dylan?

A: “Lily and Dylan are very different. If Lily was as down and moody as Dylan then I don’t think they would have connected. She’s the kind of person who would introduce herself first and he’s more of the shy type. He’s not so sure. When she first sees Dylan, she treats him sort of like an animal; she sees him as a mysterious interesting creature because her best friends are animals. She does not have friends who are kids so she’s not really sure how to relate to humans. She doesn’t really know how to act around kids her age.

Q: How did you approach your role on this film?

A: “It is about learning; I always learn something new every time I go on a film set. I enjoyed watching how Matt treats everybody on set, and I learned a lot from that. He’s such a down to earth and very nice guy.”

Q: It must have been fun working with the animals.

A: “We loved all the animals; we would be walking to set and there would be peacocks right beside us, walking with us. It was such a strange thing to be in a zoo with so many different animals. I fed a tiger a bottle of milk although there was a cage between us. That was one of the cutest moments.”

Q: Are you an animal lover?

A: “I am an animal lover. I have a dog called Lou Ellen, a horse called Goldie and a fish called Angel Wings. I have had my fish for four years and it’s a normal gold fish but it’s a little different because it’s not gold. It’s fluorescent and it’s been alive forever; it’s like the miracle fish.”